Biz Markie, known for classic rap song ‘Just a Friend,’ dies
Biz Markie, a hip-hop staple known for his beatboxing prowess, turntable mastery and the 1989 classic “Just a Friend,” has died. He was 57.
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Leveraging the power of art to achieve ‘community immunity’
The pandemic has highlighted structural inequities within American life, including a disproportionate impact on Black communities and poorer neighborhoods and access to and attitudes toward the vaccine. A new national public health campaign is trying to reach some Black Americans…
Megan Thee Stallion says person who shot her was fellow rapper Tory Lanez
More than a month after she was shot in the feet after a party in the Hollywood Hills, hip-hop star Megan Thee Stallion is saying for the first time that fellow rapper Tory Lanez was the person who pulled the…
How the soundtrack to today’s protests against racism has roots in the blues
Rap songs from Public Enemy and Ludacris have been heard at marches over the killing of George Floyd. But the history of Black American music as a form of protest dates back to the 19th century.
Common, the award-winning musician, actor, activist, and now author, says that in a world of division and anxiety, he wanted to offer solution-oriented resources for healing that have helped him overcome trauma and tough times in his life. Common joins…
The PBS NewsHour is never freewheeling with facts, but we loved it when Common came to our studio to freestyle about them.
Pioneering hip-hop group A Tribe Called Quest crossed musical genres, influenced other artists and delivered social commentary. Their unique sound and chemistry earned them decades of commercial and critical success. A memoir by poet and cultural critic Hanif Abdurraqib reveals…
The rap trio Beastie Boys played a formative role in the evolution of American hip-hop music. They have sold millions of albums with their unique blend of rap, rock and humor, all while prioritizing their friendship above their career success.
Fan and author Jeff Gomez wrote a five-act novel that seeks to fill in the narrative gaps around the music video for the 1994 song “Sabotage.”…
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